Worth the Hype? Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. Favoured by bloggers and beauty editors, featured in every Christmas gift guide. But are they any good? Let’s review them and find out…worth the hype?

What Is It?

Luminising powder from cult beauty brand Hourglass. Various shades and finishes, including powders, blushers, bronzers and strobing powders. Available as full size singles, travel sizes, or in a variety of trios and palettes. The pricing and sizes are inconsistent. Full size finishing powders are £42 for 10g. Bronzers, £45 for 11g. Blush and Strobe, £35 for 4.2g. Travel sizes £20-22 for 1.4g. Trios are £56 for 3 x 3.3g. Six pan palettes are £69 for 6 x 1.4g.

Hourglass have captured the effects of the most flattering light forms (from morning light to candlelight) in this beautifully buttery, ultra-flattering illuminating powder. Capturing, diffusing and softening harsh light and concealing imperfections, this is a game-changer in the glowing stakes, delivering multi-dimensional, soft-focus luminosity.

I have the shades Dim Light, a finishing powder, and Luminous Bronze Light, a luminising bronzer, both in travel size.

The Good?

Soft, finely milled powders that are lovely to apply. Very flattering – they don’t highlight dryness or fine lines and have a soft-focus blurring effect on the skin. The luminosity delivered by Dim Light is so subtle that it can be used as a setting powder even under the eyes. Luminous Bronze Light has more colour, which is perfect in tone. Could be used as a bronzer by very fair skin tones, a bronzer topper/highlighter by everyone else.

The Less Good?

Catch yourself in direct sunlight while wearing Luminous Bronze Light and the full glittery disaster is revealed. Tiny glitters everywhere, all over your face. Hideous. Strangely you can’t see them in artificial light, believe me I have tried. So for evening, fine, cloudy days, passable, sunny days, avoid at all costs.

Dim Light is lovely. Lovely but very subtle, AKA doesn’t really do a great deal, truth be told. And doesn’t do a lot for an awful lot of money. Thankfully, it doesn’t have the glitter problem that Luminous Bronze Light has, or not to the same extent.

Verdict?

It took a while for me to love them. Initially I would have said no, not worth the hype. Dim Light, nice but a little underwhelming, Luminous Bronze Light, just no. That glitter. However. I’ve worn Dim Light every day since I bought it. And now that winter has arrived I’ve been using Luminous Bronze Light and loving it. This bronzer just looks so damn nice. Flawless. It doesn’t actually look like you are wearing bronzer at all, just adds a little colour and definition. And the glitter? Not so much of a problem on duller days. Yes it’s a disaster in strong sunlight. So it’s a winter bronzer, or your Friday night face.